[10-20-2015; 2016 Code]
To assure in case of an emergency the continuation of effective,
legally constituted leadership, authority and responsibilities in
the government of the city, it is necessary to provide for emergency
management of the city and to provide for an interim successor to
the mayor who can exercise the powers and discharge the duties of
the mayor in the event that the mayor is killed, missing, disabled
or for some other cause unable to perform the duties and functions
of the office.
[10-20-2015; 2016 Code]
In this chapter:
ALL-HAZARD EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN
Means a document that defines the city's response to
emergencies while providing for the safety and welfare of its citizens,
sets forth lines of authority, responsibilities and organizational
relationships, and shows how all actions will be coordinated among
city departments and agencies, county, state and federal agencies,
and other local units of government.
DULY AUTHORIZED DEPUTY
Means a person who is currently authorized to perform all
of the functions, exercise all of the powers and discharge all of
the duties of an office in the event the office is vacant or at such
times as it lacks administration due to the death, absence or disability
of the incumbent officer.
EMERGENCY
Means an unexpected and urgent natural or human-caused, occurrence
that threatens or negatively impacts life, health, property, infrastructure,
the environment, the security of the city, or critical systems, including
computer or telecommunications systems, including any attack or series
of attacks by an enemy of the United States causing, or which may
cause, substantial damage or injury to persons or property in the
United States by sabotage, the use of bombs, missiles, shellfire or
atomic, radiological, chemical, bacteriological or biological means
or other weapons or process.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Means all measures undertaken by or on behalf of the city
to prepare for and minimize the effect of an emergency or the imminent
threat of an emergency or to make repairs to or restore infrastructure
or critical systems that are destroyed or damaged by an emergency.
INTERIM SUCCESSOR
Means the person who succeeds to the duties, powers, and
office of the mayor upon the death of an incumbent mayor.
UNAVAILABLE
Means either that a vacancy in office exists and there is
no deputy authorized to exercise all of the powers and discharge the
duties of the office, or that the lawful incumbent of the office (including
any deputy exercising the powers and discharging the duties of an
office because of vacancy) and his or her duly authorized deputy are
absent or unable, for physical, mental or legal reasons, to exercise
the powers and discharge the duties of the office.
[10-20-2015; 2016 Code; 2-7-2017]
The order of succession to the office of mayor shall be first,
the president of the council, and then the alderperson by seniority
of unbroken service on the council. If two or more alderpersons share
the same seniority of unbroken service, then the alderperson with
the most total service on the council and if there is still a tie,
then it shall be determined alphabetically based on the alderperson
whose last name starts closest to the letter "A." No person shall
take office as interim successor unless he or she may, under the constitution
and statutes of the state of Wisconsin in force at the time, hold
the office of mayor.
(A) Status of interim successor. The person who becomes mayor as interim
successor shall hold the office until the end of the then current
term of office after the next mayoral election.
(B) Formalities of taking office. An interim successor shall take the
oath of office as mayor as soon as practicable upon succeeding to
the office.
[10-20-2015; 2016 Code]
If the mayor is temporarily unavailable for any reason and it
is necessary that some act within the scope of the duty or authority
of the mayor be performed, then the person with the highest ranking
of the interim successors immediately available shall temporarily
assume the powers and duties of the office of mayor. That person shall
continue to exercise the powers and duties of the mayor until a person
with a higher rank among potential interim successors is available,
or until the incumbent mayor resumes the exercise of authority.
[10-20-2015; 2016 Code]
The city clerk shall determine the rank order of the potential interim successors under section
1-11-3 after each aldermanic election or other event that causes a change in the membership on the council, and shall keep the rankings up to date as necessary between elections. The rankings shall be recorded in the clerk's files and such other place as will be convenient.